Ellis inducted in South Iredell High Sports Hall

They certainly haven’t forgotten Bill Ellis at South Iredell High School.

Being elsewhere on a long-planned trip didn’t take away the thrill of his induction recently into the school’s athletic hall of fame. Even though the former Gardner-Webb basketball standout couldn’t be present for the ceremony – his daughter and other family members stood in for him.

Ellis was the second family member to join that elite group, in this only the second year South Iredell has had a sports hall.

“They put my (late) sister Ann in the first class last year,” said Ellis by phone. “She was before her time (1974 graduate) – she scored more than 2,000 points in her career.

“There were five of us to play there and two have their jerseys retired and are in the hall of fame. I believe my nephew is the career all-time leading scorer there now.”

Bill Ellis – who averaged 31.4 points/game his senior season -- is one of those. He once scored 51 points in a game and was Player of the Year in the old North Piedmont Conference his senior year.

He went on to a stellar career at Gardner-Webb, where his teams won 97 games during his career from 1971-75 under Eddie Holbrook, including a school record 31 wins in 1971-72. During the era before a shot clock and three-point line, the Runnin’ Bulldogs topped the 100-point mark 52 times during Ellis’ career.

He’s already a member of the GWU Sports Hall of Fame.

One of the biggest on-court achievements he enjoys telling about came in the old Marion Classic his senior year of high school.

“David Thompson was on the other team and he scored 38 points that night and I had 37,” Ellis said. Later on Ellis got to coach Thompson’s nephew (Dion Malachi) at Crest High.

After his playing days, Ellis found success on the sidelines with more than 300 wins. He was a varsity head basketball coach for more than 20 years at Statesville, McDowell and Crest, earning league Coach of the Year honors at each step. At Crest, his 2005 Charger team reached the 3A state championship game.

Ellis is now retired and still lives in Boiling Springs.

Bill Ellis & Basketball

* inducted recently into South Iredell High Sports Hall of Fame

* was a two-time all-conference player at South, topping the 1,000-point mark for his * career, hitting 85 percent of his foul shots

* Selected to the N.C. Coaches East-West All-Star team

* Signed full scholarship with Gardner-Webb (1971-75)

* Leading assist man for Gardner-Webb as a four-year starter, contributed to teammates John Drew and Jim Blanks earning NAIA All-America honors

* As a high school coach for 20 years, led Statesville, McDowell and Crest to conference championships